The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-03-12
OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.
A PLACE FULL OF STRANGE AND
VALUABLE ARTICLES.

Paintings Worth Tortune-AIexander
Ann''lton's Duellng Pistols-A South
crncr'n dlstake-A Package OF Dia-
monds-story of a Photograph.
YES, | have received many curious and
antique articles since began business thirty
liVe years ago" said Robert Taggart to re-
porter the other day. Mr. Taggart is pio-
neer in the storage business and his establish
ment is filled with old objects, each Of which
has an interesting history.
"Now, among a vast collection of fine paint.
ings which l got in the course of bust
ness, continued Mr.. Tnggart, "nre two
which have been told time and ngnin nre
originals 10y Rubens. One represents the
alteration Of the Saviour in the stable of
Bethlehem The subject Of the other do
not Know, ns have never met any one who
could tell me. There is nm inscription on this
picture IN ono of the dead languages, be-
lleNe' because have never been able to find
amy one learned enough TO translate it, The
picture represents queen on n magnificent
throne giving orders apparently to some of
the royal guards
"how did You become possessed Of the
picturcsf asked the reporter.
"lhe day the first gun was fired at Fort
Sumter gentleman who was very we'll
known here then and hated equally as well
for his avowed sympathy with the southern
cause came into my place and told me he in
tended going south and aiding the Confeder-
ntes with his money and every way else he
could. lie asked me to take his household
furniture on storage.
GU won't have to keep them long, he
sad The south will Win sure, and III re-
In Nnn4 cub F.ssI
else
NEVER CALLED FOR
al took his furniture but it has never been
called for. He raised regiment south and
fell at Bull Run with his two sons ut his side.
lie had no near relatives to mourn his loss and
SO have his furniture still Tho Rubenses
were among his chattols and also IL picture Of
Mullllo, for which had been offered $50, 900.
There Is practically no price on the Rubenses.
BESIDES these pictures mentioned have Us
lliie Il gallery Of paintings as any connoisseur
would wish to look at. | have always been
fond OF pictures and never tried 10 dispose of
any of them, although some of them would
bring fabulous lf-iccs'
Among other articles which Mr. Tapnnrt
showed 10 the reporter was "A pair of bcauti.
full dueling pistols inlaid with solid gold and
silver which are the ones, Mr.. Taggart SAYS,
used by Alexander Hamilton IN his deadly
encounter with Burr on the Elysan fields,
where Weehawkcn is now growing M. The
pistols were once owned by Gen. Grant, but
they passed from him TO another branch of
the family, and finally came into the posses
sion OF n Broadway jeweler, who is unfor-
tunatoly addicted to drink During one Of
his periodical sprees he placed the pistols,
with some other property, on storage with
Mr. Tunrnt.f 30,
to continue his debauch He never called for
tho weapons and the mans wife wants them
sold, MS she says she hates to see them living
around the house when her husband is on a
spree
Ahont two months ago,n said Mr.. Tag
CART, "a well dressed middle aged man came
into my place and, handing mo II small
chamois bug, asked me how much | would
ask to keep it for him for day or two with
out examining the contents TWENTY-FIVE
cents, | replied.
An OUTRAGEOUS PRICE.
"Well, sir the fellow kicked like n mule
He sworc he wouldn't pay such an outrageous
price, anu finally beat me down 10 twenty
cents for two days. Next day detective from
the Central office came in looking for such n
bug, and told me the fellow who had left it
with me was II famous western crook and
that he had him locked up in tho Tombs.
went down there with the bag, which was
| opened in presence of the Judge and found to
contain diamonds valued ut nearly 100000
1t surprised me that Il man wishing and think
ing he could safely conceal such a plumber
would kick about the cost, especially when
you consider the little | asked him
"Oh, this is the satldest thing ever recol-
lect,' continued Mr. Iaggart, as he showed
heroportera photograph of "A laughing. fresh
| faced, curly haired girl. "She came into my
| place one day about two years ago and nut a
| few little effects in storage Next morning
she jumped from ferryboat into the North
river When her body was recovered my re-
| ceipt for her furniture was all that was found
ON her buried her and then proceeded 10
trace her history. 1t was the old story. She
was the darling daughter of Il curate in a
little country town in the north of the state
A city stranger met and wooed her secretly
and she finally consented to elope with him.
When they came to this city he deceived her
further by a mock marriage, and when he
finally deserted her She found out that he was a
gambler. Then she determined to kill herself
Her sad end, which could not help telling
her father and mother, broke their poor cd
hearts and they soon followed her to the other
world
Among many other curious Things which
Mr. Taggart has are Skeletons collins, grand
fathers clocks, horses, sheep, cows, in fact all
kinds of animals and fowl, and as Il curiosity
shop in every respect his place cannot be
beaten.-New York journal Interview.